They Didn't Like Me
by MewWolf5
Summary: Riff Raff was sure that the master had never liked him, but was he wrong?


"Faster, Riff Raff!" Frank's voiced shouted across the lab. Riff Raff was turning the stiff wheel to lower the lab equipment down to the tank where Dr. Frank-N-Furter was busily working on his new creation. Frank was impatient and, though Riff Raff was doing the best he could to lower the equipment promptly, could not wait another moment.

Trying to please his master, Riff Raff was finally able to get the wheel to turn faster and soon the structure was lowering quickly from the ceiling – perhaps a little too quickly. As it made its descent, it collided with Frank's head, causing the scientist to stumble backwards.

Frank lifted his gloved hand to his brow where he had been hit. There was no blood, but the area began to swell from the impact. Irritated, Frank stomped over to where Riff Raff was kneeling, and Riff Raff soon felt the all-too-familiar feeling of a shoe heel digging into his back, sending him face-first into the floor.

The fact that he had been kicked with Frank's shoe so many times made Riff Raff sure that the master didn't like him and never had.

The only one he talk to was his sister, Magenta, but even she didn't think that it was possible that Frank really didn't like him.

"The master is very forward and has a bit of a short temper," she reassuringly said that night, once Frank had retired to his bedchambers and the two had a moment alone. "I'm sure he likes you. He was just annoyed. You know how he gets. He expresses his emotions in extremes."

"My beautiful sister," Riff Raff said sadly as he wrapped his arms around Magenta, resting his head on her shoulder. "If only I could believe that were the reason."

The next morning as they were serving Frank his breakfast, things did not seem any better than how Riff Raff had been left the previous night. Frank had given a greeting to Magenta and Columbia as they entered, but only a curt nod to Riff Raff. To Riff Raff, this was as bad as punch in the gut.

"I'll see you in the lab," Frank said without making eye contact with Riff Raff when he got up from the table.

Riff Raff had arrived soon after clearing the dishes. Frank worked mostly in silence, only speaking briefly every so often when he needed his handyman to pass him one of his scientific instruments.

They continued on for quite some time until Frank finally broke the nearly perpetual silence.

"What do you think I should call him, Riff Raff?" he asked.

"Master?" Riff Raff responded timidly.

"He's going to be wonderful," Frank continued. "But I haven't settled on a name yet. Do you have any ideas?"

Riff Raff thought for a moment.

"It will have to go with his good looks," Frank said as he stared at his work thoughtfully.

"Adonis," Riff Raff suggested, remembering mythology and folklore.

"Not bad," Frank murmured. "Adonis...no...It's a little too old. He should have something more… contemporary."

Riff Raff thought some more as Frank started wandering around the lab.

"Just think of it Riff Raff!" he said excitedly and waving his arms dramatically. "He'll have shining blond hair, beautiful bronze skin, and great muscles; solid as a rock."

"Rocky," Riff Raff said plainly, the idea hitting him.

"What's that?" Frank asked, not hearing what Riff Raff had said the first time.

"Rocky," Riff Raff repeated.

"Rocky," Frank echoed, walking back over to the tank and peering down at his creature. "Rocky...Rocky..."

Frank murmured the name over and over again, considering it, his voice suddenly increasing in volume.

"Rocky!" he exclaimed, before turning to the handyman. "It's brilliant Riff Raff!"

And for the first time in weeks, Riff Raff actually felt glad about something. Perhaps the master really did like him.

Frank-N-Furter's work was slowed for a week when he got sick, though his excitement never waned. Riff Raff realized what was happening one morning when Frank came to the table with a cough.

"I don't think I'm up for working in the lab today, Riff Raff," he said as he sat down. "It's a pity. I really want to keep at it. Rocky's coming along so beautifully and I want to have him finished for the Transylvanian Convention."

"He will be completed in due time, Master," Riff Raff said. "You should get some rest."

"Yes, you're right," Frank said, disappointed. "If only I hadn't come down with this ailment at such an inopportune time."

As could have been expected from a cold, Frank felt worse before he got better. He called on Riff Raff at all hours whenever he wanted soup or tea.

"I wish he would shut up for a while longer," Riff Raff mumbled as he headed to the kitchen late one night to get Frank another cup of tea.

"You were so happy when you told me he actually liked your idea," Magenta said to him. "He liked the name you suggested for his creation. And don't you think that if he's calling on you to help him right now, it's because he knows you can make him feel better? Don't you think this proves that he trusts you?"

Riff Raff made no comment at Magenta's remark and continued down the hall.

Frank looked forlorn when Riff Raff entered the bedroom to bring him his tea.

"Stay a while, Riff Raff," Frank said as he sat up to take the warm mug. Reluctantly, Riff Raff sat down on the edge of the bed instead of heading for the door back into the hall.

Frank took a few sips of the tea and let out a soft sigh. His eyes had become a bit watery from his cold, causing the remnants of makeup around his eyes to smudge. To Riff Raff, he seemed so different from his usual comportment – much mellower. He took a few more sips before setting the tea down on the bedside table.

Frank sat for a moment, then reached towards Riff Raff and gently caressed the balding area of the handyman's head.

"Maybe when I finish Rocky I'll be able to fix this for you," he said tenderly.

"That won't be necessary, Master," Riff Raff said.

"Why not?" Frank replied. "I don't see why my servants can't be beautiful. And you're such a faithful handyman."

"Thank you, Master," Riff Raff said hesitantly, looking away from Frank. "You're...too kind."

"Nonsense," Frank said, quietly, but insistently. "You needn't be so modest, Riff Raff. You are very good to me."

Frank picked up the tea mug to drink some more.

"Take this for example," he continued. "You do exactly what I need to feel better, making this tea for me. And you always help me in the lab. What room is there for dissatisfaction with that?"

Riff Raff was taken aback. Frank was always so particular, concentrating on every detail, always wanting things to be perfect. And here he was, saying he was thankful for what Riff Raff did, going as far to say that his butler did everything well. Riff Raff thought maybe he had been wrong after all. He then remembered something that he had always been sure Frank would angrily refuse, but in light of recent events decided that maybe his master would offer some understanding.

"I have a request I have been meaning to ask of you, Master," Riff Raff said.

"Yes, Riff Raff?" Frank replied.

"I was wondering if we could go back to Transylvania."

Frank looked at Riff Raff quizzically for a moment before looking down at his tea as if he were to find an answer in it.

"Go back?" Frank finally said, looking up again. "You don't like it here on Earth? I find it quite interesting."

"It is, Master, but I miss Transsexual."

"Well, there's no way we can go back right now," Frank plainly. "I'm still working on Rocky. But perhaps we can go back for a visit after the Transylvanian Convention."

"I would like to go back and stay there, Master."

"But then how would I continue living here, Riff Raff? I need you; you help me with everything."

"Yes, Master."

Riff Raff got up from the bedside to head back to his own sleeping quarters. He couldn't argue with what Frank had said. Rocky was still a work in progress and if Riff Raff left, Frank would not have a butler. Not to mention that if Riff Raff left, his sister would probably leave with him. Riff Raff knew that Frank had grown attached to the two of them and would not be as satisfied with a different staff. So, in conclusion, they would stay on Earth.

"He says we won't be going back to Transylvania," he said plainly to Magenta as she met him in the hall on his way back to his bedroom.

"What?" she replied, surprised at his abruptness.

"I asked if we could go back," Riff Raff clarified. "He said no."

"What a shame," Magenta replied, sounding a little disappointed. "Sweet Transsexual..." Her voice trailed off for a moment. "Maybe we could get used to Earth for a little while longer. We might be able to go back for a visit some day. Did you ask him about that?"

"He said we might visit Transsexual after the Convention."

"Then that's all we can hope for," Magenta said. "At least we've got something to look forward to. We can't change the master's mind once it's made up."

With a yawn, she headed back to bed.

After that night, Frank began a swift recovery and soon everything went back to normal. He made up for lost time with his continued progress on Rocky, relying heavily on Riff Raff's help for more meticulous tasks of his creation.

During one such time, the task was taking its toll on Riff Raff's concentration, having been working on it for several hours. It was very difficult placing part of Eddie's brain inside Rocky's head and reconnecting each nerve.

"Stop shaking!" Frank snapped, noticing that Riff Raff's hands were trembling more and more.

"This is very intensive work, Master," Riff Raff replied, wiping sweat from his brow. "Perhaps if we take a break for a few moments–"

"A break?" Frank said incredulously. "We can't take a break now! This step is very important and cannot be interrupted."

They continued the work until it was finished, Frank scowling at Riff Raff whenever he would shake too much or make a mistake that needed to be fixed. Perhaps the pressure was affecting both of them, but Frank was much more aggressive about it, his handyman on the receiving end and feeling that his efforts were inadequate.

Finally, the day of the Annual Transylvanian Convention arrived. All that needed to be done was add the spark that would begin Rocky's life, and it would be done in front of an audience of guests.

Seeing all the Transylvanians and being able to the Time Warp once again made Riff Raff yearn for his home planet even more.

It got worse when Frank's creation was unveiled to the guests, another shoe heel in Riff Raff's back before it was over. Rocky turned out exactly how Frank had wanted, and Riff Raff even admitted to his brilliance, but when Riff Raff saw Rocky take a look at him, a certain amount of disgust became present on the creature's face. The creation that Riff Raff had helped to make didn't even want to be around him.

The look of disgust that would appear on Rocky's face when he would look at Riff Raff soon began to appear on Riff Raff's face when he set eyes on Rocky. He took great pleasure from threatening Rocky with a candlestick.

It was short-lived, as Riff Raff was soon being punished, each lashing of Frank's whip on his back hurting more than the last. He cried for mercy. He asked himself if this was his purpose in Frank-N-Furter's house – to be treated inhumanely if he were to get anything wrong, by a master who didn't care about his well-being. He wondered why he continued to let himself suffer and keep working for such a heartless master. And yet he worked devotedly for his master, yearning for every job well done and each small bit of praise.

The Convention continued, but soon Frank wanted to have dinner with his unexpected guests; Brad, Janet and Dr. Scott. Riff Raff and Magenta looked in the kitchen for something to prepare for them, but everything had already been served to the Transylvanians. The two of them exchanged glances.

They retrieved Eddie's body from the lab freezer. Before carrying the body to the kitchen, Riff Raff looked sadly at the former delivery boy who was sacrificed for Frank's fixations.

Riff Raff watched the Earthlings' shock when they saw what they had been eating for dinner. He followed as Frank chased them into the lab and then ordered Magenta to turn each of them into stone. After doing so, Frank went to prepare for the floor show that he had decided he would have with these guests. It was too much, his being enamoured with Rocky and then the inopportune show. Frank's ways were much too excessive.

Riff Raff ran in as Frank was dancing with Rocky, Columbia and his guests, taking them all by surprise. Riff Raff felt some satisfaction as he held the anti-matter gun in front of him, making Frank cower in fear. He had lost count of how many times Frank had made him feel the same.

As he shot the lethal beams first at Columbia, Frank and then at Rocky, he thought of all the times he had been treated like he was worthless, every time he was treated unkindly. Even the good times crossing his mind didn't make him feel regret, only causing him to quiver for a brief moment. He was free from Frank, now. Frank was no longer in his way. Riff Raff could go home to Transsexual, Transylvania.

"But I thought you liked them," Magenta said as she looked at the corpses floating in the pool and then at Riff Raff. "They liked you."

"They didn't like me!" Riff Raff cried. "They never liked me!"


End file.
